A: Deep, dark hue. About an inch of dark brown head that lasted for several minutes.

S: Malt and chocolate.

T: Similar to the smell, but you can really taste the alcohol. A lot of RIS's hide the alcohol well, but not this one. After about 5 sips, I found myself kinda powering through it due to the deep alcohol content.

M: Good carbonation. Creamy, but still get that alcohol sense

O: 3.25 Wouldn't get again. There are way too many good RIS to get over this one.

Very dark brown in the Crooked Line tulip with a dark beige head. Long legs in the glass and a tangy carbonation in the mouth. Just a whiff of cereal and charred malt.

Very darkly roasted barley with a distinct burnt taste. Dark caramel and a hint of bitter chocolate. Label claims 85 IBUs but it doesn't taste as hoppy as all that. Some of the near-acidic sensation of a big IPA, however. More sharp than most in the RIS style. The drinkability suffers from the relentless bitterness that develops after some sipping, along with the intense charred flavors. The sweetness of the malt is welcome with each new sip. This is a brew for those who like their Imperial Stouts more austere and bitter.